This invention relates to a ball for use in street hockey play. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved street or field hockey ball having superior dampening characteristics to cause the ball to roll rather than bounce on the playing surface.
The sport of street hockey has gained widespread popularity as children and adults alike search for new and interesting ways to stay active and compete against their peers. Many reasons account for the increasing number, of participants. Street hockey can be played outside during warm weather or cold. Ice hockey, of course, may be played outdoors only when the temperature is sufficiently cold. Moreover, compared to ice hockey, the sport of street hockey is inexpensive to play, yet provides a similar level of competition. In addition, while ice hockey requires a substantial investment in equipment and costly ice time, street hockey requires little more than a hockey stick, level ground on which to play, and a ball or other object that simulates the ice hockey puck.
Several products are commercially available to simulate a puck. The products most similar to the present invention include solid balls made of a hard substance such as rubber or plastic, and hollow balls partially filled with liquid, solid particles or a combination of both. The solid balls are resilient, but their tendency to bounce reduces their effectiveness as hockey puck substitutes. The hollow balls partially filled with liquid or solids reduce the ball=s tendency to bounce somewhat by lowering the ball=s center of gravity. They do not, however, totally eliminate bounce because the liquid or solids filling material does not stay in the lower half of the ball as the ball rolls. This characteristic tends to impart an erratic or jerky motion to the rolling ball. Moreover, the liquid or solids tend to splash or disperse when the ball is struck by the hockey stick and each time the ball bounces which can contribute to erratic motion.
The tendency of bounce and erratic motion reduces the effectiveness of commercially-available products. Accordingly, a need remains in the sporting goods industry for a street hockey ball having minimal bounce and uniform rolling characteristics. The primary objective of this invention is to meet this need.
More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a street hockey ball of durable and quality construction having a steady and uniform rolling motion when struck to travel over a level playing surface.
Another object of the invention is to provide a street hockey ball having a reduced tendency to bounce when struck to travel over a level playing surface.
A further object of the invention is to provide a street hockey ball of the character described partially filled with a liquid to maintain a low center of gravity for the ball as an aid in reducing the tendency to bounce.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a street hockey ball of the character described partially filled with a liquid to maintain a low center of gravity for the ball as an aid in reducing the tendency to bounce and a layer of floating solids to minimize splash of the liquid and to improve the ability of the liquid to remain in the lower portion of the ball as it travels over a playing surface.
In summary, a ball for use in playing street hockey having a substantially smooth spherical shell with a hollow interior cavity partially filled with a liquid and a plurality of prills to less than one-half of the volume of the interior cavity. The specific gravity of the prills is less than that of the liquid to minimize splash of the liquid and to improve the ability of the liquid to remain in the lower portion of the ball as it travels over a playing surface.